


Safe In Her Arms

by Wistfully_We_Sing



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety Attacks, Caring, Dark Past, Dom/sub, Dominatrix, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional Sex, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Smut, F/M, Feelings, Femdom, Gentle femdom, Gentleness, Hurt/Comfort, Master/Slave, Mental Anguish, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Past Torture, Past Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape Recovery, Sexual Slavery, Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:47:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27451462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wistfully_We_Sing/pseuds/Wistfully_We_Sing
Summary: Queen Alienor would never have believed that her new war ally would dare to give her a gift as offensive as a pleasure slave. Now she finds herself having to deal with a traumatized man who is convinced that she is going to hurt him, whatever she says to try to reassure him.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 9
Kudos: 47





	Safe In Her Arms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cesarinna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cesarinna/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Solace And Anguish](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22047319) by [Cesarinna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cesarinna/pseuds/Cesarinna). 



> This story is a gift for the awesome Cesarinna °+(*´∀｀)ｂ°+° I found her profile recently and fell in love with her writing style. Probably my favorite femdom writer all websites included! I got the idea for the plot of this story while reading "Solace and Anguish", but my favorite is unmistakably "Terms of Surrenders". Oh, and "A Manufactured Happiness" is amazing too... Anyway, go check out her profile if you like gentle femdom (´∀｀)♡
> 
> Also, English is not my native language so I apologize in advance for any possible mistakes (ノ﹏ヽ)

Sitting on her throne, her brow furrowed, Queen Alienor struggled to control her frustration. She had not been in a patient mood today and it was not improving. In front of her, her entire Court was gathered in two rows at the sides, watching the barbaric procession slowly advancing into the royal hall. As usual, she kept a stone face, her lips tight and her head held high. The only sign of irritation she allowed herself was her fingers impatiently tapping the pommel of her silver scepter.

The reason for her annoyance was the welcome she currently found herself obliged to give to the Horde, a band of unscrupulous bandits that she had to accept as an ally in the war against the neighboring kingdom, Hyradrid. Her own empire was normally influential enough that she didn't have to join hands with that kind of scoundrels, but this time she had no choice. These bandits were masters of the forest surrounding the kingdom and having them as frontline fighters would be a great asset in the event of a surprise attack. After all, the last thing Alienor wanted was for the innocent peasants to be slaughtered first, and it wasn't like she could ask her soldiers to stand guard at every tree in the edge of the woods.

She stood up, imposing, her diamond tiara sparkling on her oak-colored hair. She raised her specter and made a solemn big wave of her arms. Her whole guard imitated her in perfect harmony.

" Leader of the Horde, " she greeted in a loud voice. " Welcome to Kedianna's Royal Court. "

" Queen Alienor, " the bandleader bowed deeply with a sly smile. " You are doing us too much honor. Being able to contemplate your Splendor is a remarkable welcome gift. "

Alienor didn't smile. The man's compliments didn't impress her; if the context had been different, she would never have allowed him to set foot here with his sneaky henchmen. The bandits of the Horde were bloodthirsty cowards, who had targeted the people of Hyradrid for generations, aware of their weakness. Alienor knew full well that the one and only reason they did not also attack her kingdom, Kedianna, was because they feared her might.

Alienor was a leading woman. Her mother, grandmother, and all her female ancestors as far back as she could think of had fought battles, victories and failures with panache and honor, and she began the discussion leaving no opportunities for the brigand to contest her. She told him what to do, where to stand to apprehend the attack, what strategy to choose. On several occasions she saw him frown and try to interrupt. She laughed inwardly. Men like him always sought to prove their worth, whether or not they were right.

After the discussion was over, Alienor was about to sit down and dismiss the Horde, when the leader suddenly exclaimed:

" Your Majesty, you are as fiery as your reputation says... You started the discussion right away, I didn't even have time to give you the alliance traditional gift. "

Although the tone was falsely respectful, the word "fiery" and the salacious look in the bandit's eyes were bothering her. She suppressed a sigh of annoyance and replied, bringing both hands back to her scepter in a commanding pose:

" This is true. Thanks for your attention. "

With that, the Horde leader turned to the back of the room and clapped his hands three times, then turned around with a proud smile that Alienor didn't notice. She was watching attentively the majestic doors opening, letting in the sun from outside. In the pearly light, a dazzling procession slowly made its way down the aisle. The whole Court widened their eyes in amazement, and even Alienor had to force herself not to show her surprise as the sparkling object came closer and became clearer.

It was a golden platform richly encrusted with pearls, surmounted by a shining transparent veil. Between the folds of the fabrics, the trembling, sagging figure of a man with long hair was distinguishable, wearing very little clothing if relying on the shards of his skin. Carrying the chariot in stark contrast were four armored and armed women wearing wolf furs and the typical barbaric makeup of the Horde. It was evident that every fragment of gem or beautiful cloth on the chariot had been stolen from the kingdom of Hyradrid. When the procession had finally arrived at the height of the stairs preceding the throne, Alienor finally spoke, looking the chief of the brigands straight in the eyes with coldness:

" A slave? "

" Yes, Your Majesty, " he said proudly. " But not just any slave... Five years ago, he was the best soldier in the army of the kingdom of Hyradrid. We captured him especially for you! "

" Especially for me? " Repeated Alienor, breaking out every syllable, her voice hissing. She couldn't believe that this bastard dared to give her such an outrageous gift, when he knew very well what she thought of slavery! And she certainly wasn't planning on forming an alliance with the Horde five years ago, so the lie they had captured him for her was quite obvious and insulting.

The brigand was seemingly indifferent to the flames in her gaze and continued with enthusiasm and mockery: " Yes, but I can assure you that there is nothing combative in him anymore. We have trained him to be the perfect pleasure slave, he will obey you completely... Come on down so you can admire him better! "

With these words, he gestured to two of his acolytes, who approached and spread the sails. Alienor clenched her teeth and descended the steps with dignity. A "pleasure" slave? Lord, how far exactly did the chief want to take the affront? She didn't even have words to describe to herself how much she despised the Horde right now, but she had no choice but to stay calm.

She didn't deign to give the chief a single glance and walked directly in front of the chariot, approaching until the hem of her robe touched the edge, so no one else except the poor prisoner could see his expression. She blinked and looked him up and down.

Of course, as she had guessed, he was dressed very scantily, and the only clothes left were clearly designed to show it all. His long legs, curled up in a cramped pose, were completely bare except for the shiny bracelets around his ankles, and a long translucent fabric covered the front and back of his pelvis. His whole chest was exposed, covered in thin golden chains. She noticed with an indignant startle that one was connecting his nipples. Moon-toned makeup had been applied to his skin, outlining the contours of his bulging muscles and making him look like an unreal god. His chest was heaving and sinking rapidly, like a trapped animal.

Most striking was undoubtedly his ebony hair, perfectly straight locks that touched his hips. Alienor couldn't remember the last time she had seen a man with such long hair. She finally observed his face, veiled in an oriental glitter mask. His eyes, slanted as it was often the case with people in eastern countries, were petrified with terror. He looked at her as if awaiting his death sentence, as if begging for help. The queen's heart shrank with pity. She didn't feel like she was in front of an enemy at all, and even less a soldier.

The intrusive voice of the brigand leader suddenly interrupted her contemplation.

" His face is truly exceptional, you should take off his mask to admire it, " he exclaimed braggedly. Hearing these words, Alienor saw the terror in the slave's eyes increase explosively. He closed his eyelids and looked away slightly, looking both devastated and resigned.

" It won't be necessary, " the queen retorted quickly, ignoring the chief's sulky grimace. " If his face is as beautiful as you say, it is only fair that I am the only one who has the right to contemplate it, in private. "

" I understand, " the chef finally bowed. He then gave her a satin pillow with a lewd wink. " Here is the key to his chains… Oh, and, importantly, we were also careful to cage the… most important part of his body as well. The second key is for this. "

The intensity of the rage that shook Alienor surprised her despite her naturally brash temper. She turned her gaze to the slave so as not to reveal in her eyes the violence she felt. After taking a deep breath, she resigned herself to turning around and giving a polite smile. Seeing the bandit leader flinch, looking scared, she suspected that her murderous gaze had probably not disappeared entirely.

" Thank you for this… gift. You can be sure that I will take good care of it, Head of the Horde... I wish you a safe journey home. "

With these words, and without waiting for the brigand's answer, she turned to her guards.

" Help this man to go down and take him to my rooms, " she ordered. " Take it easy, " she had to clarify as one of the guards grabbed the slave's wrist like he was just a bunch of rags.

She watched carefully as the guards helped him. His legs were shaking and he seemed ready to collapse at any moment, but he stood up straight and walked briskly, following the two escorting guards holding him by the biceps.

Alienor clenched her fists. She would have liked to spare him the humiliation of being lugged around half-naked in front of the whole Court, but sadly she had no choice. She couldn't show pity in public for a former Hyradrid soldier, especially not in front of a new ally.

She turned to the bandit leader to say goodbye officially, but he was already leaving, grumbling down the aisle, the chariot carried behind him. Obviously. Any good thief would not leave behind the wrapper the gift had been in… With one last contemptuous look, Alienor motioned with her specter to the Court that the ceremony was over, and the crowd dispersed, murmuring.

* * *

Too bright. From the start, everything was too bright, the light dazzled him, cruelly wounding his eyes which had been deprived of the sun for years. The golden veil surrounding him, throwing glitter shards all over, hadn't helped at all. Being so vulnerable, naked in all that light, had been enough to make him panic.

In general, the whole situation was horrifying. He was being whisked away to the apartments of the queen of the enemy country of his, who must hate him even more than the bandits did, and he needed all the broken courage he had left to walk without collapsing to the ground sobbing. He was in so much pain, his whole body was hurt under the thick layers of makeup. Before leaving the day before, the brigands had made a point of punishing him one last time before letting him go, and he didn't feel at all, at all free from anything.

The queen was terrifying.

From the moment she got so close to him, and he could see her face up close, he felt like an insect caught in a web. Queen Alienor was imposing and had the coldest eyes he had ever seen, like metal covered in ice, with very arched eyebrows that gave her a perpetually haughty look. Her brown hair was a dark frame around her colorless cheeks, her skin was ash white and… she was beautiful, he couldn't deny it, but a ghastly beauty. There was nothing reassuring about her, or the way she walked, spoke, or held her scepter. And this woman was going to be his new mistress...

He bit his lip. He was going to try to be good, as best he could, and maybe she would be gentle when raping him; maybe she wasn't totally sadistic and wouldn't want to punish him for nothing. He could only hope for it with all his heart.

He couldn't take any more. It was too much. His will to live was gone long ago when his dignity, his self-esteem and all his pride as a person had been taken away from him, but he had always managed to hold on to the hope that thieves would sell him to a kind and good mistress, who would treat him fairly and maybe even, if he was extremely lucky, give him a little affection, just a little bit. He knew there was no way Queen Alienor would be like this with him, but he felt it would be the end of him if she turned out to be as cruel as the robbers. If his future was planned like this, he couldn't stand it.

He realized a few seconds later that the guards had just pushed him rather brutally into the queen's rooms, and stumbled. The door slammed shut and he felt like the door of a tomb was sealed.

He looked around, hugging his arms around himself. The Queen's apartments had oddly low ceilings, but he could see hallways leading to seemingly larger rooms. The living room he was in was vast, with amps filled with smoking incense, dried plants and velvet tapestries. He was relieved to find that the lighting was dim, the light entering slowly through intricately carved stained glass. His heart quivered. It had been so long since he had seen art and so many beautiful things... But the fear he felt was too great and his mind too confused. He wasn't the person he was before. He couldn't innocently go near the stained-glass windows to look at them, as if he wasn't in great danger right now.

At least the queen had been kind enough not to remove his mask in public. Showing his face always meant bad things; people wanted to hurt him, to possess him. He dreaded the moment when that would happen. When the Queen saw his appearance, would she decide to lock him in the dark so that he was hers alone?

Suppressing a moan, he wrung his hands in extreme nervousness. He was in so much pain and wanted so much to sit or lie down, but he wasn't allowed to. He therefore remained standing, awaiting in terror the return of the queen.

* * *

Alienor marched through the corridors, rebuffing the courtiers who tried to approach her. They all moved away obediently, getting used to her temper. She finally arrived in the most distant section of the palace, where her apartments were, and sighed with relief.

She clenched the two keys in her fist as if they were burning embers capable of relieving her anger and upset. She didn't know what she was going to do, and she hated it. She had never been confronted with such a situation before… She was about to meet, in her own apartments, a man who had been repeatedly raped and tortured. A man who was probably scared to death at this time because he was from the enemy people, and who probably expected to suffer the same atrocities as the Horde had inflicted on him. She knew it, she saw it in his eyes.

Alienor had therefore been strategic, as always, and had gone to change her clothes, removing the heavy gown and the impressive ceremonial headdress to opt for a simple burgundy dress devoid of ornament and pomp. It covered her arms in an elegant pattern and was made of taffeta, but still a lot less intimidating than the other. Since she was traditionally not allowed to walk bare-headed, she wore the simple gold disc that she used as a crown in everyday life, her hair rolled up in a bun around it.

" Without my high heels I should look less imposing too, " she thought, shaking her head. " Lord… This is the first time in my life that I am trying to look less dangerous. I never thought it would be for a reason like this... "

The truth was, Alienor also felt unsettled. Rape, torture, slavery, all of those things were absent from her kingdom. Kedianna was a prosperous and liveable country, and she herself had always lived in a very sheltered social class. She didn't know how to react to someone so deeply hurt, but she was not of the nature to shirk her responsibilities and just throw this poor man into the dungeon. But, Lord… She was anything but the kind of person who was good at comforting and calming people.

She reached the door to her apartments and took a deep breath. She counted to three and put her hand on the doorknob, opening the door and entering, locking behind her. She didn't do it often, but this time was exceptional.

He was there, of course. Not far from the door, his hands clasped and his gaze desperate, still wearing the mask that hid half of his face. She slowly approached, trying to take on what looked like a reassuring expression.

" Hi ," she whispered in silence, as he stood a few feet away from her, petrified. Hearing her greeting snapped him out of his paralysis and it was she who froze as he ran to literally throw himself on his knees in front of her, in a violent way that must have hurt.

He rested his forehead on the ground, and before Alienor could react, gently took her foot in his shaking hands and put it on his head. She was totally in shock, a very rare thing for her, as the man whispered in a fervent and fearful voice:

" Mistress, my life and my body are yours. I will do whatever you want, I give my total submission - "

" That's enough! " Alienor interrupted in an authoritative voice, unable to take any more. " Remove your damn head from under my foot and get up immediately. "

" I'm sorry I'm sorry, " he moaned in anguish. He instantly withdrew and stood up slowly, holding his arms over his head, as if waiting to be hit. " I shouldn't have touched you without consent, forgive me, I didn't mean to disobey, I didn't want to… "

" Hush, keep quiet, " Alienor said quickly, trying to put on a softer voice. " I do not blame you. I won't punish you. "

He slowly pulled his arms away, still looking fearful, and straightened up, stammering gratefully: " O-Oh, thank you Mistress... I won't make this mistake again, I promise. " Alienor nodded, eager to move on, and showed him the two keys.

" Which is the key to open the chains that bind your chest? "

" The… The biggest. But I don't know where the padlock is… "

" Well, I won't lose my time looking for it, " she muttered. She put the two keys on the table and without saying a word, grabbed one of the chains with both hands, and pulled with all her might to break it.

The man looked at her with wide eyes, and flinched when the chain broke. Alienor threw it on the floor. The other chain remained; the fucking sadists of the Horde had even put two tiny padlocks on the nipple clamps so the poor man wouldn't have a chance to remove them himself. She looked him straight in the eye, and handed him the key.

" Come on, remove it. "

He took it between his fingers, looking lost and anxious, but grateful. He managed to open the padlocks, but his hands were shaking too much that he could remove the pliers. He groaned in defeat and looked up at Alienor, wringing his hands in a frantic gesture.

" I'm sorry, I can't do it. It's... It's too sensitive... "

The queen felt overwhelmed with compassion, and anger against those who had dared to inflict such treatment on a human being. She shook her head and whispered, determined, " I'll help you, stay still... "

" Y-Yes… Haaa… Haaaaaa! HAAAA! "

Alienor gently withdrew the pliers and took a step back, taken aback by the absolutely sensual and shameless moans the man had just made. She raised an eyebrow and stared at him, her lips tight in a stern line.

The man gave a look of realization and bowed his head in humiliation, stammering, " I… forgive me, Mistress. In my training, I’ve been forced to be loud.... To please, you understand.... If I held back my screams, they would hit me and… Oh, I'm ashamed of myself. I'm so sorry, Mistress! "

Alienor, bewildered, tried to reassure the man who was starting to panic, but he insisted: " I am not a vulgar man, I swear! Before, I was a soldier and I had very good manners, I'm not someone like that, I'm not... "

Sobs began to creep into his voice and he no longer seemed stable on his legs. Alienor, alarmed, went to put her hands on his shoulders to make sure he did not fall.

It had been a very long time since she had physically touched anyone; maybe even since the death of her parents. She felt strange and took a harsher voice to cover it up. " Breathe, for Heaven's sake. I'm not going to throw you in the dungeon because of a few moans! "

The man breathed heavily, trying to come to his senses. She could see him struggle against himself, and it was heartbreaking to watch.

" I’m so sorry… Give me a chance, " he whispered again. " Give me a chance to prove to you that I can do well, please… Don't… Don't send me back there… "

Alienor withdrew her hands from his shoulders now that he seemed to be able to stand on his own, assuring him that she would not give him back to those bastards. He seemed to calm down a bit, although a few sobs still interrupted his strangled breath.

" Here, take this handkerchief for your tears, " she said, rummaging in her pocket. She took out a silk handkerchief embroidered with the coat of arms of the kingdom, and handed it to him. He took it with a look of relieved gratitude and wiped away his eyes, going under the mask to do the same with his nose. He didn't miss the look of curiosity in her eyes as the glitter veil revealed the tip of his chin.

" You are too good, Mistress, " he whispered, closing his eyes. " I'm so sorry I cried without your permission. "

This time Alienor couldn't control her surprise and stared at him, her mouth open. How exactly had he been conditioned to submission? Ask permission to shed tears… It was…

" You are free to cry whenever you want… And, Lord, you are free to do a whole bunch of other things, but I have a feeling it will take a long time to explain. I would rather do it with your face uncovered, " she said firmly.

At her words, the man who had calmed down slightly began to shake again, while nodding his head frantically. His body was saying no as he forced himself to say yes... Alienor almost wanted to leave his mask on just to relieve him, but she must see his face at one point or another, as well doing it right now.

" Are you comfortable with the idea of me removing your mask? " She asked softly. " I promise that it won't change how I think about you. No matter what you look like, I won't be disappointed whatsoever. "

The man wrung his hands, but gave his approval. He pulled back slightly as Alienor slid her hands down the sides of his face, gently gripping the two jewels behind his ears that held the veil of glitter in place.

A few seconds later, Alienor dropped the mask, letting out a little cry of wonder. She was immediately angry with herself for showing her emotions so much, but the thought flew as she gazed at the man's breathtaking face. She had never, in her life, in all the nobles of the Court, in painting or in real life, had the opportunity to contemplate such beauty.

His features were perfectly chiseled in a curve that was both masculine and full of delicacy, his lips were full and harmonious, his nose thin, straight, perfectly sloping with his ears barely emerging from his hair. Closer up, she could now notice how exceptional his eyes were. One was black, shining like obsidian, and the other a much paler brown, tingling gold. His lashes were a different color as well, one a very dark brown, the other golden brown, and both very long. His eyes were slanted but wide and open, and even the tears that had reddened them couldn't mar their beauty. The arch of his eyebrows was soft and created a very noble and graceful look.

Without even realizing it, Alienor had put her hand out and brushed her fingers over the pale cheek of the man, who was staring at her anxiously, suddenly biting his lip in nervousness.

" I hate to say it, " she whispered, " but that bastard was right. I'm sure you've been told that many times before, but you are almost unbelievably beautiful. You must have been blessed by the gods... "

" Oooh… Thank you, but to my knowledge that has never happened, " he replied with a hint of a shaky smile, which died almost instantly. " I must say that I find you very beautiful too. "

Alienor withdrew her hand and came out of her wonder upon hearing these words. The man took it as a rebuff and bowed, clasping his hands.

" I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that! Please Mistress, forgive my daring… "

" It's all right, " the queen cut off, still coming back to her senses, clearing her throat. The man's face troubled her and now was not the time to get confused, she had several things to explain to him.

" I don't know your name yet, " she realized. " What is it? "

The man frowned. His name… He had a name in the past, but it had been years since he had been called that. The name sounded foreign to him and he suddenly wanted to cry again.

" Everything is fine? " Alienor asked, seeing him visibly struggling to speak.

"Yes... Yes... It's just... It's been a long time..." he whispered, shaking his head, his eyes shining with tears again. She felt moved and looked at him even more insistently, searching for what had caused the pain. " My name is Cas… Cassiopeian. "

" Cassiopeian, " she repeated deeply. " A name that suits you very well. "

" Thank you, Mistress. "

" Don't call me that, " Alienor said, clenching fists, shuddering as she saw the man's anxious gaze return. Her heart was restless and she felt like she was holding a crystal vase in her hands that would shatter at the slightest pressure. She took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew that making him realize that he was safe with her was going to be complicated, and unfortunately she was not a patient woman.

" Stop staring at me like that, for heaven's sake… You seem to think that I'm going to jump on you and break your nose every time I say you something. "

" I'm sorry... It's just that I'm your slave, so I... I don't really understand… "

" Yeah, I know that. Come and sit down, I think there is a very big misunderstanding here. "

She took him into a small room adjoining the living room, where there were two armchairs, and opened a closet, pulling out a velvet bathrobe.

" Here, put this on, " she said, handing it to him. " It should be your size... You are in a room used specifically for my guests. There is water in the jug, help yourself. "

He carried out her orders nervously, splashing water everywhere and apologizing unnecessarily. She rolled her eyes and took the first piece of cloth available to wipe it off. The robe was a little too small for him; he was so tall, much more than her, despite not being a small woman herself. She had time to catch a glimpse of his swollen, red nipples again before he closed the garment, and winced in sympathy.

" After the discussion, I'll make sure you get the proper medical attention, " she assured him as she elegantly took a seat in the chair. " Well. I'll start with that, Cassiopeian - you are in the kingdom of Kedianna. We don't have any slaves here, okay? "

He nodded, not looking reassured.

" Good. We are a matriarchal society and women are generally dominant, but this is only out of cultural principle; in front of the law, all are equal, men and women. I don't intend to break my own law. I am the queen and you must obey me in every way, " she said with a strict gaze, " but I will respect your dignity as a human being. You will not be hit, abused, or degraded in any way under my protection. Is that clear? "

The words were obviously clear, but Cassiopeian's eyes were confused and anxious. There was a tiny ray of hope, she could see he wanted to believe her, but his fear was too great. She refrained from sighing. After a few moments, he finally spoke with a shudder:

" I… I'm trying to understand, but, you… you heard what the bandit leader said… I was the best soldier in Hyradrid's army, your nemesis. Don't you want to take revenge on me? "

Alienor bowed her head. It was true that the poor man could not understand anything in relation to this; even her own courtiers had difficulty interpreting her attitude towards her enemies. She looked at Cassiopeian, trying to gather all her sincerity in her gaze, and whispered: " No. I'm not mad at you for wanting to protect what was important to you. You see... My mother always said that in a war there are no bad guys or good guys, only people who are suffering. And as far as I know, this war is not your fault. "

" But… I'm a bad person, " Cassiopeian said in a muffled voice. " I've killed people, I've done cruel things, and, and… that's why I deserve to be a slave. That's what the bandits told me... "

" You have been a soldier, as those of my people. War doesn't give you a choice to do that sort of thing… And the Horde are bastards that I despise more than I despise the kingdom of Hyradrid, " said Alienor with an angry gesture, suddenly standing up. " Seeing what they have done to you, my hatred for them only intensifies. Turning a person into a slave is already a very big crime, but a _pleasure_ slave... "

She paused so as not to get carried away with anger and start proclaiming a speech about how excruciating it was to ruin a person's dignity like this. Cassiopeian lowered his head, painful memories flooding his mind, and said softly:

" You... You say very kind things and I... I… thank you. But… if you don't want me to be your slave, what do you want me to be? "

" My first idea when I saw you was to give you back your freedom, but now that I saw your face I know that it won't be possible. It is impossible not to notice you… Kedianna is not a safe place for you, most of my subjects do not share my philosophy regarding the people of Hyradride. Even here at the palace you have to be careful, understood? "

"Yes! I won't cause you any trouble, I swear. "

“I know, everything is fine. So, what I'm planning to do… I actually have several servants who serve my needs, but to be honest, I do not like having too many people around me in my rooms. This is the reason why my apartments are empty, I only call the servants when I need them… I therefore suggest that you become my personal servant - of course you will receive a salary and be housed in a section of my apartments. You will be able to lock the doors and no one will be allowed to come to see you if you do not want to. "

Cassiopeian blinked, and Alienor waited a little impatiently for his answer.

" Is this an order? " He finally asked, looking at his knees.

" No, it's not an order! " She replied in annoyance. " Didn't you listen to what I told you? I am a queen, but I have no slave, and I do not force anyone to work for me. Do you want it or not? "

"I want it, God of course I want it, I'm sorry. I'm just confused, even though I shouldn't after your patient explanations... Forgive me for being so stupid. "

" You are not stupid. It's normal that after being treated the way you have been, you find it hard to understand that I don't want to hurt you. I hope over time you will be able to place your trust in me, " said Alienor, mentally berating herself for raising her voice. It was not by losing patience that Cassiopeian would feel better in her presence...

He shuddered, looking down. He wanted to trust her too. He wanted to believe her so badly, but a voice in his head screamed at him that it was wrong, that she was going to hurt him eventually, because the pain was all he deserved. That he was going to make a mistake at one point or another and ruin the chance offered to him.

" Come with me, " Alienor finally ordered since he was not responding. You need food, care and rest. I will make you choose your room so you can take a bath while I’m calling for the doctor and the cook. "

Cassiopeian stood up immediately and as she watched him intently, she noticed the flash of pain that crossed his eyes.

" Thank you, you are very generous. I… will have a bedroom for myself? "

" Of course, I hadn't planned on making you sleep on the floor, " Alienor retorted, forcing herself to walk slower now that she had confirmation that he was in physical pain. " There are several rooms available in my suite; oh, and in case you were wondering, I live alone here. "

He nodded, stunned. A bedroom. He was going to have a room, his own, and he could choose it... He had been sleeping in the dark of a cell for five years, in the cold, on hard stone. The thought of being able to lie in a bed made his legs weak. The queen led him along a path with a ceiling significantly higher than the small living rooms, with chandeliers filled with hanging crystals and reflecting the soft glow of the setting sun, casting its light through the windows high up the walls. The intensity of the light was bearable and he could see a whole row of doors on either side of the hallway.

Alienor stopped and turned her head slightly towards him. He flinched a little at the metallic glint of her eyes.

" There you go, you can choose the room you like. Each is decorated according to a different theme. You can also choose a different room at any time if you start to be bored. "

Cassiopeian shuddered and looked down. He remembered sleeping yards below the ground, buried in the cold, feeling lonely for miles around; he was choking and screaming for help and no one was coming to save him, or else someone would come and beat him blind in the pitch darkness until he was silent. The feeling of being the only human on Earth, of having no one, of no longer importing at all, of no longer existing...

Alienor watched him wring his hands for the umpteenth time since she had met him. It seemed like a traumatic reflex, and an indicator that something was bothering him. She quietly asked him what was wrong, much more gently than she thought she was able to. Gods, this man was causing unexpected things in her...

" Well… that’s… I... I may have a strange request... "

" Go ahead. "

" Um, well... Which… Which room is closest to yours? "

He seemed very embarrassed and the question confused Alienor.

" The Amethyst Room, right here. It’s impossible to access my room through this corridor; however, there is only a wall between this one and mine. It is normally reserved for distinguished guests, due precisely to its proximity. "

" Oh, I'm just a servant, obviously... I'll… I'll take the furthest room of course, it was silly to ask. "

" You can have the Amethyst Room without any problem, " she reassured him. " But why? "

" Um, it’s because of the feeling of, you know, being far away, " he whispered, not knowing how to express it otherwise.

" You don't like being alone, " Alienor guessed with a compassionate gaze. " It's okay. "

" Thank you. Thank you… I… I don't know how to thank you, it's so big… I… I don't understand a lot of things, but thank you. "

He wanted to get down on his knees and sob in relief as he stammered his gratitude, but he suspected that it would not be welcomed. He didn't want to be ungrateful and impose things on her mistress that made her uncomfortable when he had received so much from her.

He suddenly thought back to the silk handkerchief she had given him and pulled it out of his pocket, asking in a low voice with pleading eyes:

" Can I keep the handkerchief, please? "

Alienor raised her eyebrows. " Yes, of course, I have dozens more. "

Cassiopeian looked at her with immense devotion and respectfully folded the handkerchief as if it were made of diamonds, whispering fervent thanks.

" Well, " she finally said, a little taken aback by the amount of powerful emotions emanating from this man. " I'll let you go take your bath. Here is the key that unlocks the demonic thing those bastards put between your legs... You can definitely throw this thing in the trash. "

She believed Cassiopeain's eyes couldn't get more delighted and moved, but she was wrong, and she felt herself melt when she saw his lips quiver in gratitude. Oh, and her murderous envy for the Horde only grew, despite the fact that she had just made an alliance with them that very day. Well, well. It was going to be a problem.

" I'll be back to see you when you ring the bell to let me know you're done. Enjoy your bath, " she said, turning back to hide her agitation, and striding away down the hallway.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you don't know, Cassiopeia is a one of the most beautiful constellation of the sky, named after the greek queen Cassiopeia, who boasted with the gods about her extraordinary beauty. Queen Eleanor (Alienor in french) of Aquitaine was one of the most powerful women of her time, in a world where the power normally belonged only to men.
> 
> All thanks for the reading (´⌣`ʃƪ)


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